Topic: Write an argument essay supporting or opposing this statement: ‘Reform and other governments from 1911 to 1934 introduced no significant changes in the role of the state’
Teacher’s Name: Stevan Eldred-Grigg
Date: 5th January, 2012
Word Count: 667
The role of the state is a most significant part of the New Zealand history. Different parties have different the role of the government. A state can play diverse roles in the people’s lives, such as a big state or small state. In other words, what did the government do for the country or nation? This essay will argue that Reform and other governments in policy, economy and society had changes in the role of the state during 1911 to 1934.
New Zealand was controlled by the Reform Party and other governments during 1911 to 1934. Firstly, the Reform Party voted by wealthy people and most of the middle class and then they won controlled the New Zealand government. The Reform state showed a policy called ‘Square Deal’ nickname ‘Square Steal’ caused by it for all social classes beneficial except the working class. As a results, followed by a class war between capitalists and the working class. The war was obviously capitalists won on account of the Reform state support them. Some policies passed hurriedly, for example, Public Safety Conservation Act passed in 1932. Because overseas debt lead to people’s income and standard of living declined, thereby protests and riots grew in New Zealand. However, most of peoples only desire to find a job and make satisfactory money to living. At the same time, Mortgage Corporation held by the government gives cheap a mortgage to farmers and business people who belong to the middle class and capitalists.
In addition, the role of the state had no increase in the economic area. Although New Zealand was one of the two or three most affluent countries in the world, the main wealth growth apparently has been experienced by the middle class and capitalists. For instance, cinema, radio, cars and electricity were still controlled by capitalists. Unemployment not a serious problem, but most the working class worried about the lack of jobs. Even though workers who work at electrical and motor factories discovered their incomes increasing, the working class average incomes didn’t grow in this period. Especially, about 17% of the population were unemployment during the Great Depression in the early 1930s. Overseas debt is a major reason makes New Zealand economy made worse. For example, over 40% of government’s revenue was used to pay its debts with interest in 1933. The state established ‘balancing the budget’ in order to solve economic problems, such as reducing state expenditure, borrowing money to invest in the economic growth and tax to rich people. Meanwhile, the working class becomes poor.
Finally, the society was no obvious change in the role of the state. The state interfered to assist capitalists through given subsidies and tariffs protected thus help exporters and manufacturers. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, for example, the state offer free services to the middle class by supplied the capitalists with a modern scientific research institution. The state not only helped the rich people but also helped the poor people. For instance, the state gave pensions to elderly poor people. On the other hand, the state established a new pension which helps injured or sick soldiers by the First World War. Another pension called ‘dole’ merely for Pakeha men during the Great Depression, because women’s pension can provide by her husband or her father and Maori’s pension can provide by their tribes. The pakeha men can get money only if they did some relief work. Consequently, the state established public work schemes, such as building road and tunnel, or forests planting. The aim is to prove that they are not lazy and uneconomical.
It is clear that the Reform State and other governments had no significant changes in the role of the state from three aspects - policy, economy and society. Even though the state established some policies or provided welfare for poor people and the working class, they none the less help capitalists and the middle class. People vote for a new government are to get state help and gain profit.
References:
FNDN025, Unit Three: Role of the State, pp. 41-7.
Ball, G. (2004). Making Kiwis. Auckland: New House, pp. 40-1.
